93984 - Evaluation Of Adverse Health Effects From Human Exposure To Foodborne Hazards

Learning outcomes

After attending the course, students will have acquired the basic knowledge on the principles and the methods for risk evaluation in human population exposed to toxic compounds in food. The main sources of chemical contaminants in food and their health implications will be addressed. Students will be also addressed to use the risk analysis framework promulgated by international food safety authorities in controlling food safety.

Course contents

General introduction to the course.

Introduction to toxicological studies and food toxicology.

Dose-response assessment and safety limits.

Natural toxins in food.

Pesticides residues and heavy metals.

Food supplements and functional foods: focus on toxicological concerns.

Food processing and food-borne carcinogens.

Food poisoning, food-borne illness and HACCP principles.

Genetically Modified Organism.

Food safety risk analysis: focus on risk management, risk assessment and risk communication.

Readings/Bibliography

Notes of lectures; scientific publications, case reports.

Students can refer to:

Casarett and Doull's Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons, by Curtis D. Klaassen, Mc Graw Hill ed, 9^th edition.

Casarett & Doull's Essentials of Toxicology, Curtis D. Klaassen, John B. III Watkins, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2015.

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures.

Assessment methods

This course is part of the integrated subject "Risk Assessment of Food Products to Human Health.” which also includes "Innovative approach for risk assessment in microbiome food value chain". Final grading of the entire integrated course is calculated as an average of the scores obtained in the two courses.

Teaching tools

projector, computer

Office hours

See the website of Fabio Vivarelli